Malaysia Open 2026: PV Sindhu storms into semis; Satwik-Chirag's campaign ends in quarters
(Courtesy : Badminton Photo/BAI)
PV Sindhu is now the only surviving Indian in the BWF Super 1000 tournament.
PV Sindhu kept India’s challenge alive, but it was curtains for the country’s top doubles pair Satwik-Chirag in the quarter-finals of Malaysia Open 2026. Sindhu, who returned to action on tour after a long injury layoff, showed glimpses of her old dominance in what is her first tournament of the year.
The two-time Olympic medallist faced Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, who walked onto court carrying a knee injury. Sindhu took full control of the match, racing through the opening game 21-11 before Yamaguchi was forced to retire due to her knee injury.
The victory, albeit under unfavourable circumstances, not only sent Sindhu into her first semi-final of the 2026 season but also marked her first Super 1000 semi-final since 2021. It will also be her first semi-final on the BWF tour since December 2024.
Currently ranked World No. 18, Sindhu will now face World No. 2 Wang Zhiyi of China for a place in the final. However, the ranks might not matter as Sindhu holds a 3–2 head-to-head advantage over the Chinese shuttler and had beaten her in straight games at last year’s World Championships.
However, the joy of Sindhu’s success was soon followed by disappointment in men’s doubles.
World No. 7 Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty saw their campaign end after a 10-21, 21-23 loss to the Indonesian pair Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto.
Also Read: BWF Malaysia Open 2026: All you need to know about prize money & points on offer
The Indian duo entered the quarter-finals in strong form after beating Malaysia’s Junaidi Arif and Roy King Yap 21-18, 21-11 in the round of 16.
Against the Indonesians, Satwik-Chirag struggled in the opening game, losing with huge margin but they showed great fight in the second, pushing the match to 20-all. However, Alfian and Ardianto managed to seal the match in straight games.
Earlier in the tournament, India’s top men’s singles shuttler Lakshya Sen crashed out in the men’s singles pre-quarterfinals on Thursday after a straight-games defeat to Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu.
How did PV Sindhu reach the semifinals?
Sindhu won her quarterfinal match against Akane Yamaguchi after taking the first game 21–11 before the Japanese player retired due to a knee injury.
Who will PV Sindhu face in the semifinals?
Sindhu will face World No. 2 Wang Zhiyi of China in the semifinal.
What is Sindhu’s head-to-head record against Wang Zhiyi?
Sindhu leads the head-to-head 3–2 against Wang Zhiyi and defeated her in straight games at the 2025 World Championships.
How did Satwik and Chirag perform in their quarterfinal match?
Satwik and Chirag lost 10–21, 21–23 to Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto.
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Uzma Fatima is a passionate sports journalist who believes every match has a story waiting to be told. Whether it's the grace of Olympic champions, the grit of tennis and badminton battles, or the drama of cricket’s highs and heartbreaks — she loves capturing the emotion behind the action. Off the field, she’s a Formula 1 enthusiast who never misses a race weekend.